Be honest. Was it just me, or did anyone else’s 2011 work year get off to a rocky (and late) start this week due to the iPhone alarm glitch?

According to various news reports from around the world and angry consumers’ tweets and Facebook messages, it is appears I was not the only one affected. Thousands of iPhone users were late to work (that’s me!) or missed flights or other appointments due to what Apple is calling a “glitch.”

Sadly, this is not the first time Apple has had to field questions from unhappy users whose alarms did not work. In Europe last year, some users experienced malfunctions with their iPhone alarms as a result of Daylight Savings Time.

More and more, we are seeing large firms on Wall Street trade in their mainstays – BlackBerrys – for newer and more exciting phone models like the iPhone and Android. Companies such as Credit Suisse and Bank of America are initiating pilot programs to show support of their employees’ iPhones.

But do the iPhone and other Apple devices pose more serious risks to hedge fund security? In a previous blog post, we examined some specific security concerns related to the iPhone, including its consumer-grade encryption features. Alternatively, the BlackBerry is known for its enterprise-level security, which has naturally been one of the most significant benefits to hedge funds and other Wall Street firms in the past.

At this time, Eze Castle Integration continues to recommend that our clients use BlackBerry devices for business uses, however our also support the iPhone and other Apple devices. You can learn more about our mobile solutions here.

While the alarm glitch may seem like a small problem in the grand scheme of things, it may also shed light on a larger trend. Is the BlackBerry losing its hold over Wall Street and the hedge fund market? Or will seemingly persistent security concerns and other complications from Apple force iPhone users to go running back to their old friends? We’ll have to stay tuned to find out.